Improvement in station-indicators



CHESTER PmLADeLPv-HA IBELL ROAD' "LZAR STOPPINC PLACE 7, noCH ESTER ilute tutes patent 1i ir.

' GEORGE i. JOHNSON, vOF lVlLlivllNt/lN, llELA'lVAlE.

Lettcrs Patent No. 95,692, dated October l2, 186%).

IMPRO'VEMENT IN STATION-INDICATORS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part4 of the same pose the names ofstations with precision and correctness at the proper times.

Ahitherto the rollers, upon which is wound 'the apron carrying the names of stations, have been operated by ratchet-wheels having small, close teeth.

With such ratchets, the apron is subject to derangemeut, beiufy apt to expose either a wrong name,

' or a part only o the right name, when ,brought into action.l

To obviate these defects, and to insure the full exposure of the required name at the propel' timc,is the object of my improvement-s, which consist- First, in the employment oi' a ratchet-wheel providedwith four (4) teeth, separated by equal quartercircle spaces.

Second, in arranging the names of the same 'stations on both sides ofthe apron in contrary directions, with intervening spaces, (between the names on each side,) the breadthof which increases (or diminishes, according as the measurement is begun at one end or the other end of the aprou,) sutciently .to compensate with exactness for the increasing diameter of the tak-v ing-up roll, meaning the roll upon which the apron is at any time being wound.

In the drawings- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views, looking at opposite sides of the indicator.

Figure 3 is an elevation, the side cover andthe apron bearing the naines ot' stations being removed.

Figure 4, also an elevation, the apron being in place.

Figure 5, a transverse vertical section through the middle.

. t, Figure 6, an end elevation, the end cover being removed.

Figure 7, also an end elevation, the cnd cover being in place.

Figure S represents the edge of the ratcllct-whcel, ratchet-lever, and pawl, detached.

].u the drawings- A represents a case or box.

b, a bell.

h h', apertures in opposite sides oi' thc bo.\'.

m', strips. oi' glass, littcd in said apertures.

c c', rollers, which turn in journals In, iig. 3, with i to kei-p them from moving, exicpt friction suihcient as they are moved by the person intended to operate them.

d is au apron, one end of which is fastened to roller c, and the other end to roller c.

The names of the several stations on` any road are -marked on both 4sides ofthe apron d in regular successive order, the na1nes\on one side being in reverse of those on the-other side, it not being intended that both' sides, but' that one side only, shall be visible. at

any time, the indicator being located at the front end ot' the car. i l

g, tig. 8, isa ratchet-wheel, which has a perforationtlnough its middle, shaped to iit the ends oi the roller journals.

The ratchet has beu-rings in the two plates s s',

whichplates are united by cross-pins, and constitute a frame to which th'epawl Vi and pawl-spriug j are attached. I

The ratchetLwheel g has four (4) teeth, m. The frame s -s"'foru1s a lever, the free or outer end of which projects through the slot q, tig. 1, or q', tig. 2, and has a slightly elastic cord (not shown) atltached to it, by which it is dra-wn upward, and the ratchet moved one tooth ahead, and thus caused'to -move the apron sufficiently to expose the name next in order.

The slots q and q' are cach made of just sutiicient length to allow the pawl to pass one (l) tooth of the ratchet, at the same time thatfthe upward movement of the lever s s is stopped bythe top ot' slot q or q', as'

the case may he..

The lever s s' drops by its own gravity, or may be drawn back by a spring, until its free or outer end rests on the bottom of slot q or the slot q', as the case may be.l

The movement ot' the ratchet one tooth forward,

causes the withdrawal of the naine exposed,and the exposure of the name next in order on the apron.

The lever s s', ratchet, and pawl, forni one piece, which is detachable, and is applied to the journal of one roller when the car is moving in one direction, and to the journal of the other roller when the car is moving in the reverse direction, it being understood that when the direct-ion of motionof thc car is reversed without turning the car, the indicator is carried to the fore end ofthe car, and the reverse face otthc indicator turned out.

n n' n 11" areprojcctions ou the journal of roller o. These projections .strike thc cnd oi' a. lever, not shown, and by ordinary mechanism cause the hammer to strike the hell whenthc naine oi' a station is presented.

The widths ot'ihc spaces between the names for any road :ire first ascertained by trial, after which indicators for the same road can, ofcourse, be multiplied indefinitely. 5

One indicator is placed in each car, erated by several ratchet-lever cords are attach aving thus described my invention, a

.I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the four (4) toothed ratchet g, apron d,

and all are oppawl fi, and spring j, with the rollers do and one main cord, to which the ends of the when the names both sides of said vening sp'acearwhich vary in the increase iu the diameter of substantially as setl forth.

Witnesses: l

WM. H. STEELE,

A. H. KmKELm'.

of the same stations'are errang apron in contrary series,I with inter? Width to compensate for the taking-up roll, all

GEO. R. JOHNSON. 

